What’s The Largest Pond in Louisiana

Louisiana is home to numerous ponds that dot the diverse landscape. It’s important to note the difference between a pond and a lake in this part of the US. Ponds are usually smaller bodies of water. In addition, a pond is shallow and not as deep as a lake.

In this article, get to know the largest pond in Louisiana and additional interesting information.

What is a Pond?

As mentioned, a pond is a small body of water, not as big or deep as a lake. In most cases, a pond will still have fresh water, making it different from a river or stream. One way to qualify a body of water as a pond is to ensure it’s no more than 1.8m deep.

Ponds, although small, also fall into different categories according to size. So, you can classify them from the largest to the smallest in a given area. There are also natural and man-made ponds. Some people make it a point to make man-made ponds on their land.

What is the Largest Pond in Louisiana?

The largest pond in Louisiana is Turner’s Pond. It’s located near Pace and Gilark and is 0.6 miles wide.

It’s home to a wide array of freshwater fish and an excellent place for fishing. Locals enjoy Turner’s Pond because of the calm waters and surrounding nature.

Other Ponds in Louisiana

Louisiana is home to numerous other ponds. Most of them are ideal spots for fishing. Examples of ponds you can find in this state include:

Grambling City Park Pond

Grambling City Park is an ideal spot for outdoor activities. There are benches for relaxing, sidewalks, and a covered pavilion. The refreshing pond at the beautiful park surrounds all these spots.

Kiroli Park Pond

In Louisiana, folks can spend time exploring Kiroli Park’s natural beauty. The 150-acre park is also the perfect area to spot another pond in Louisiana. Guests accessing Kiroli Park get to pay a small entry fee, usually $1, at the entrance. There are picnic spots surrounded by wooded landscapes providing the perfect escape.

Elmore D Mayfield Park Pond

The Elmore D Mayfield Park covers 66 acres and is a great place to visit in Louisiana. It’s where you find another excellent pond in the state that’s fed by a spring. There’s a wooded terrain that offers amazing natural beauty and a chance to enjoy fishing.

Comparison with the Largest Ponds in the US

The Great Pond

The largest pond in the US is the Great Pond in Maine. The pond has a catchment area of 82.9 square miles. In addition, it covers 8,533 acres with a depth of 21 feet. Locals love and enjoy spending time at the pond. That’s refreshing.

The Great Pond is 7 miles long by 4 miles wide. Locals who flock to the area love activities such as fishing since the pond is home to lots of fish. There are a few islands on the pond. However, it’s not as big as many lakes in the US.

Head to Kennebec County in Maine to spend time fishing the Great Pond. Exploring the islands, including Hoyt Island, Joyce Island, Pine Island, and Oak Island, is also much fun. There are a few sources that feed the Great Pond each year.

Island hopping and fishing can be fun, and so can kayaking and canoeing. It’s a great spot to chill with family and friends, especially when the weather is perfect. The neighboring Messalonskee Lake is also an awesome spot for water activities.

The Great Pond in Maine ranks as the largest pond in the US. However, other ponds come close in size worth noting. Such ponds include:

The Assawompset Pond

Massachusetts is home to the second-largest pond in the US. The Assawompset Pond touches both Middleboro and Lakeville, and it’s connected to Pocksha Pond. Massachusetts is home to both natural and man-made ponds, and the Assawompset Pond is the largest natural one.

The pond covers 2,404 acres, a popular spot for fishing. The Namasket River is the main outflow of the Assawompset Pond. There are different fish species in the pond, and a great spawning area during spring.

Long Pond

The Long Pond ranks number three in the list of the largest ponds in the US. The pond covers 1,721 acres, and it’s in Freetown, Massachusetts. In fact, you can explore both the Assawompset Pond and the Long Pond since they are near each other.

The Long Pond is about nine feet deep with a 54 feet elevation. It’s 1 mile wide and 4 miles long, with the deepest spot being 12 feet. Visitors enjoying fishing at the Long Pond can also explore the islands. Long Pond has three islands: Lewis Island, Goat Island, and Nelson Island.

Once there was a Sunken Island. However, it’s long gone. The formation of the Assawompset Pond in 1894 led to high water levels. Slowly, the Sunken Island began to disappear until it was completely submerged.

Pawtuckaway Pond

Next, check out the Pawtuckaway Pond in New Hampshire. The pond is in Nottingham and is also known as the Pawtuckaway Lake. Three inflows feed the Pawtuckaway Pond: Mountain Brook, Back Creek, and Round Pond Brook.

The Pawtuckaway Pond has two outflows, one in the north and another in the south. The southern outflow is the Pawtuckaway River, while in the north is the Bean River. It’s a freshwater pond 9 feet deep and covers an area of 784 acres.

In addition, the pond has several islands, and it’s a great place for fishing. It has a 250 feet surface elevation and is 1.1 miles wide and 3.5 miles long.

Brandy Pond

The Brandy Pond covers an area that’s 740 acres in total. It’s in Naples, Maine, and has a 268 feet surface elevation. The maximum depth at the pond is 44 feet, and it has a 6.8 miles-long shore.

What Types of Fish Are in Ponds in Louisiana?

Fishing is one of the main activities in ponds in Louisiana. Folks who love fishing can spend time collecting a great catch in shallow waters. Below are different fish species found in ponds in Louisiana.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass is as you picture when you read its name. It’s a typical fish with a large mouth in different US lakes, rivers, and ponds. Although common in water bodies, folks prefer other fish since the largemouth bass has mushy meat.

Still, you can find them in ponds in Louisiana as you engage in fishing. Largemouth bass males mate once and die. The females will mate several times during their life cycle.

Black Crappie

Another common fish species in ponds in Louisiana is the black crappie. It’s a freshwater fish that provides food for large animals and people. They tend to thrive in vast numbers in the right habitat and conditions.

The black crappies are popular with commercial fishing. Females can lay up to 10000 eggs at a time in large clusters. Males will then fertilize the eggs and guard them until they hatch.

White Bass

The freshwater ponds of Louisiana are also home to the popular white bass. It’s a common fish in water bodies. However, it does have a strong fishy taste.

White bass is easy to spot thanks to its silver-white body. It can weigh up to two pounds and grow 12 inches long. White bass is aggressive and not easy to catch. However, they are a good catch.

Bluegill

Do you want a fish that perfectly fits a standard frying pan? Be sure to look out for the bluegill or pan fish when fishing in ponds in Louisiana. The bluegill is a popular fish during competitions and is also common because of its small size.

Bluegills are an interesting fish species that can swim backward. The males also tend to change their belly color to bright orange during breeding. In addition, young ones reach maturity between two to three years, after which males make the nests.

Smallmouth Bass

After finding largemouth bass, keep your eyes open for the smallmouth bass. A common freshwater fish thrives in lakes, rivers, and ponds. The smallmouth bass have small mouths and swim fast.

Males are always present to help the female with building the nests. After fertilizing the eggs, they also stick around to stand guard. Smallmouth bass is available in vast numbers, causing issues with different ecosystems.

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish are another type of fish you can find in Louisiana. It’s a popular freshwater fish, and many people enjoy It as a delicacy. Channel catfish tend to live for more than 20 years, and there are about 3000 species living in the US.

One way to identify a channel catfish is by the whiskers on its face. The fish also has a forked tail and a rounded anal fin. Lakes, ponds, and rivers are the common habitats for channel catfish across the US. Here, they thrive by feeding on crustaceans, insects, and other small fish.